THE MAN-LIKE APES. 65 



distance north of this river [Gaboon]. I was able to cer- 

 tify myself of this fact in a late excursion to the head- 

 waters of the Mooney (Danger) River, which comes into 

 the sea some sixty miles from this place. I was informed 

 (credibly, I think,) that they were numerous among the 

 mountains in which that river rises, and far north of that. 



" In the south, this species extends to the Congo River, 

 as I am told by native traders who have visited the coast, 

 between the Gaboon and that river. Beyond that, I am 

 not informed. This animal is only found at a distance 

 from the coast in most cases, and, according to my best 

 information, approaches it nowhere so nearly as on the 

 south side of this river, where they have been found within 

 ten miles of the sea. This, however, is only of late occur- 

 rence. I am informed by some of the oldest Mpongwe 

 men that formerly he was only found on the sources of the 

 river, but that at present he may be found within half-a- 

 day's walk of its mouth. Formerly he inhabited the 

 mountainous ridge where Bushmen alone inhabited, but 

 now he boldly approaches the Mpongwe plantations. 

 This is doubtless the reason of the scarcity of information 

 in years past, as the opportunities for receiving a knowl- 

 edge of the animal have not been wanting ; traders having 

 for one hundred years frequented this river, and speci- 

 mens, such as have been brought here within a year, could 

 not have been exhibited without having attracted the at- 

 tention of the most stupid." 



One specimen Mr. Ford examined weighed 1701bs., 

 without the thoracic, or pelvic, viscera, and measured four 

 feet four inches round the chest. This writer describes so 

 minutely and graphically the onslaught of the Gorilla — 

 though he does not for a moment pretend to have wit- 

 nessed the scene — that I am tempted to give this part of 

 his paper in full, for comparison with other narratives : j 



